Does anyone double-glove?

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2004

Easy thought to this dilemma for you..................

Holes in gloves are allowed to be 5 microns to be able to pass their testing.

The AIDS virus is 0.5 microns. What would you do?

In the OR, almost everyone is double-gloved. :balloons:

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jul 9, 2004

I don't double glove. We were taught in school not to do it. I've never had a glove break, but if one did, I'd stop, de-glove, wash, re-glove and get back to it.

I am particular about having gloves that fit. No swimming around in a size large for me, no way.

I'm careful not to do stuff with my gloved hand that will result in the glove breaking, tearing or being cut. For the latter, especially, double gloving won't help.

Recall that gloving is to protect us and the patient from each other, basically.

I'm picky about being able to feel through the gloves. If I can't then I'm not confident I'm doing what I need to be doing, as well as I can do it.

Just my two centavos....

jschut, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2004

I do when I am doing something particularly gooey (impaction, stage VI debride....)

otherwise I only wear one layer.

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2004

Gloves do not have to break for you to become contaminated.

Sure it is quite hard to double glove with the regular gloves on the floors, but in the OR, almost everyone is double-gloved. Agian because of the holes that are allowed thru. Even anesthesia is double gloved.

When I went to school, we didn't use gloves at all, except for dis-impacting a patient, etc. Suppositories were just inserted using the little finger cot that only covered one finger. I had to learn to draw blood and start IVs using gloves, and it isn't any different with two gloves. In the ICU or ER, I rely on my instincts as to who I am going to double glove with. Depends on the procedure. It all matters what you are used to.................

Chris: You are probably talking about S/M/L gloves. I am talking about the ones that come in sizes, just like you buy gloves.

julieK · Jul 9, 2004

Gloves do not have to break for you to become contaminated.
Sure it is quite hard to double glove with the regular gloves on the floors, but in the OR, almost everyone is double-gloved. Agian because of the holes that are allowed thru. Even anesthesia is double gloved.
When I went to school, we didn't use gloves at all, except for dis-impacting a patient, etc. Suppositories were just inserted using the little finger cot that only covered one finger. I had to learn to draw blood and start IVs using gloves, and it isn't any different with two gloves. In the ICU or ER, I rely on my instincts as to who I am going to double glove with. Depends on the procedure. It all matters what you are used to.................
Chris: You are probably talking about S/M/L gloves. I am talking about the ones that come in sizes, just like you buy gloves.

There is a reason that they are called "Universal" precautions. The idea is that you don't know who has what and therefore have to treat everyone as though he/she could be infected. The rich, white suburbanite woman could just as easily have HIV/Hep B as the homeless, black drug-user. Your instincts could land you in a heap of trouble.

-Julie

Farkinott, RN · Jul 9, 2004

I double glove for urinary cather insertion. Clean evrything down with an alcoholic solution then rip off the contaminated gloves to reveal your pristine aseptic ones for the nitty gritty.

As for double gloving any other time.......no need.

ksfrn66 · Jul 9, 2004

I only double glove if I am taking care of a patient who I KNOW has hepatitis or AIDS. I have had plenty of box gloves rip at my hospital. The risk of a HCW getting HIV/AIDS is 0.47% even with a needlestick (CDC). Universal precautions helps as well...I teach my students to treat every patient as if they are infectious. :coollook:

Altra, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2004

Easy thought to this dilemma for you..................
Holes in gloves are allowed to be 5 microns to be able to pass their testing.
The AIDS virus is 0.5 microns. What would you do?
In the OR, almost everyone is double-gloved. :balloons:

Curious ... I recently spent a few days doing the OR rotation of my med-surg class, in two different hospitals, and no one (surgeon, anesthesia or scrub nurse or scrub tech) double gloved for any of the cases.

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2004

There is a reason that they are called "Universal" precautions. The idea is that you don't know who has what and therefore have to treat everyone as though he/she could be infected. The rich, white suburbanite woman could just as easily have HIV/Hep B as the homeless, black drug-user. Your instincts could land you in a heap of trouble.
-Julie

Read closely what I wrote in my post, I always at least have on a single pair of gloves, and many times they are in fact double. I was explaining how things have changed since I became a nurse,, which was a very long time ago. I am probably more protected than many other nurses that I know, I will not hesitate to use goggles or eye shields for any procdeure, etc., as well as a mask, when many others would not.

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2004

Curious ... I recently spent a few days doing the OR rotation of my med-surg class, in two different hospitals, and no one (surgeon, anesthesia or scrub nurse or scrub tech) double gloved for any of the cases.

Any place that I worked OR in, be it Arizona or Michigan, almost everyone was double-gloved. Perhaps they are not aware of the possibility of holes in the gloves.....................of course the holes are microscopic, but they can be there.

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2004

There is a reason that they are called "Universal" precautions. The idea is that you don't know who has what and therefore have to treat everyone as though he/she could be infected. The rich, white suburbanite woman could just as easily have HIV/Hep B as the homeless, black drug-user. Your instincts could land you in a heap of trouble.
-Julie

I graduated from nursing school 26 years ago, there was no such thing as AIDS/HIV back then..................things have changed, and nurses must change their habits to go along with things as they change.